Briquette cooling conveyer



June 21,1938. I l G, KQMAREK 2,121,298 l BR-IQUETTE COOLING CONVEYE'RJune 21, 1938.

G. KOMAREK BRIQUETTE COOLING CONVEYER Filed April 19, 1937 v2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-"icl:

marek-Greaves `and Company, Chicago, corporation of Illinois ApplicationApril 19,

5 Claims.

The present invention relates` to cooling and conveying means and isparticularly useful in association with plastic forming machinery, e. g.briquette presses for continuously receiving and cooling Whiletransferring the hot fuel briquettes as formed to a suitable dischargepoint.

Previous apparatus of this character has been open to the objection thatthe briquettes are sub- :lected to undue agitation, whence, because oftheir somewhat fragile initial condition, there results a rubbing of oneagainst the other to the extent that in some cases the briquettes aredisintegrated or their preformed surface contours are rendered soirregular as tointerfere with the salability of the product.

With these considerations in mind, I have de- `veloped a continuous typeof conveyer for receiving the hot briquettes from the press and capableof conveying them with complete freedom `from pulsations. Furthermore,the conveyer is so constructed as to afford optimum cooling conditionsfor thebriquettes. In this manner, briquettes are continuously cooledwhile travelling under conditions which will prevent any substantialrubbing contact, with the result that the briquettes delivered to thedischarge point are firm, have their desired preformed shape and aredevoid of surface irregularities.

The construction is simple and easily adaptable with briquette pressesnow in use. Also, the conveyer being of the continuous type may becontrolled as to speed and is so constructed that the cooling action issubstantially uniform.

Various modifications in the construction may, of course, be resorted toand I have illustrated in the attacheddrawings and described in thefolthe invention.

lowing specification one preferred embodiment of Referring to thedrawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cooling conveyer, butpartly broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a top elevation of the cooling conveyer.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing certain of the 'parts 'indisconnected relation.

Referring to Figure l, the continuous conveyer is mounted upon suitablesupports IIJ, one at each end of the conveyer, and in which are carriedsprockets II for causing the conveyer to be continuously moved. Oneofthe sprockets is actuated by any suitable prime mover rotating itsshaft Il'.

The conveyer includes a number of sections Ill., a

1931, serial No. 137,872

Which are united together in the manner now to be described. Referringto Figures 3 and 4, each section has two upstanding opposed plates l2which are identical in construction, and the plates I2 on each side ofthe conveyer are disposed in longitudinal alignment. Each plate has asubstantiallysrnooth inner side surface I3 and adjacent its base isthickened outwardly as shown at I4. At one end, the thickened portion isout away to provide a curved recess I5 comprehending the transverse areaof the thickened portion and extending outwardly of the recess is theolfset integral boss I6 provided with an opening I'I. The opposite endof each plate at the thickened base portion thereof is provided with alongitudinal projecting boss I8 having a curved contour conforming tothe contour of the recess I5 and provided with an opening I9 extendingtherethrough. The transverse area of the boss I8 is substantially equalto that of the recess l5 in which it is received so thatk when the endsor edges of succeeding plates are lined up to form the respective sidesof the conveyer, the openings I'I and I9 will be in register, the planeend edges Z0 ofthe plates will be in substantially abutting relation asshown in Figure l and the faces I3 will form a continuous side Wall oneach side of the conveyer.

The bottom of the conveyer includes a plurality of spaced grid rods 2|fitting in recesses or sockets 22 in the opposed plates I2 and spacedtie rods 23 whose reduced ends 24 extend through openings 25 in theplates. The rods 2l are of a length so that their ends abut the closedends or bottoms of the recesses 22, and they are held in such positionsby the tie rods 23, whereby a rigid structure is assured. The platesabut against the shoulders 26 on the tie rods 23 and l are maintained inposition by means ofthe nuts 21 engaging the threaded portions 28 on thereduced ends 24 of the tie rods. It is to be noted that the rods 2i 23are maintained spaced apart a distance sufcient to prevent briquettes,for example, from passing therethrough, andr such spacing also affords amaximum opportunity for the circulation of air to promote rapid andcomplete cooling of the briquettes.

The ends 'of the respective plates or sections are hingedly connectedtogether by means of shafts 29 extending through the registeringopenings I'I, I9, which shafts at each end carry suitable rollers 30held in position by Cotter pins or any other suitable means 3l. Therollers supporting the conveyer sections are moved by the prime moveractuated sprocket member over a III) suitable track 32 while theconveyer is moving in its upper horizontal position and are supportedupon a track 33 when the conveyer is moving in its lower horizontalposition. At the ends of the conveyer, of course, the sections areengaged by the sprocket members I I.

The conveyer construction just described is free of any pulsating motionsuch as would agitate or cause the briquettes fed thereto from a pressto have a rubbing contact that might either disintegrate the briquettesor deform them. Moreover, the construction is such as to afford anoptimum cooling of the briquettes so that their resistance todeformation progresses as they move from the press to the dischargepoint. This is important in that by controlling the speed of therotation of the sprockets and hence the travel of the conveyer, Variousbriquette compositions can be cooled and conveyed and presented at thedischarge end in such condition that subsequent handling will not injurethe product.

It is to be understood that the conveyer may be of any desired lengthand width. In some cases, in order to strengthen and rigidify theslatted bottom dened by the spaced shafts 29, tie rods 23 and rods EI, Iprovide straps 34. As

shown in Figures l and 2 these straps consist ofk upper and lowermembers 35, 36 having complementary semi-circular recesses 31 therein togrip the respective spaced members forming the bottom, and the twosections 35-36 are bolted together as shown at 38. In the case of anarrow conveyer, one set of straps will be employed disposedsubstantially in central alignment, Whereas when the conveyer isrelatively wide, the straps will be disposed in staggered relation asshown in Figure 2.

It will be noted, and as heretofore explained, that the conveyer has theadjacent end edges 20 of aligned plates I2 on each side of the conveyerin abutting relation as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and that in thehorizontal movement of the conveyer, the rollers being supported upon acontinuous track 32, the conveyer sections are devoid of any irregularmotion such as would shuffle the briquettes about and cause them to havea rubbing contact. In this connection, the straps 34 serve to rigidifyand stiffen the bottom, as Well as the side walls in their abuttingrelation, so that the conveyer is further prevented from any irregularmotion..

I claim:

l. A continuous sectional cooling conveyer for briquettes including aseries of longitudinally disposed guard plates constituting the sides ofthe conveyer, each plate having a smooth inner surface and provided atits inner side with a longitudinally extending offset portion, saidoffset portion being provided intermediate its ends with inwardlydisposed spaced sockets, one end of the offset portion terminating in atransversely disposed boss and the other end provided with a laterallyoffset boss arranged to overlap the boss on the adjacent plate when theparts of the conveyer are set up, the overlapped bosses havingregistering openings, grid rods extending transversely of the conveyerand having their inner ends mounted in aligned sockets in each opposedpair of plates, and shafts extending through the openings in the alignedbosses i'or connecting the adjacent ends of the plates together, saidshafts having rollers thereon for supporting the conveyer, said rods andshafts constituting a slatted bottom for the conveyer and beingcorrectly spaced to support the briquettes so as to prevent the latterfrom falling through the bottom, said rods and shafts also beingdisposed to provide a maximum amount of open spaces in the bottomeffectively to cool the briquettes carried by the conveyer.

2. A continuous sectional cooling conveyer for briquettes including aseries of longitudinally disposed guard plates constituting the sides ofthe conveyer, each plate having a smooth inner surface and provided atits inner side with a longitudinally extending enlarged oset portion,said offset portion being provided intermediate its ends with inwardlydisposed spaced sockets and through openings, one of the offset portionsterminating in a transversely disposed boss and the other end providedwith a laterally oifset boss arranged to overlap the boss on theadjacent plate when the parts of the conveyer are set up, the overlappedbosses having registering openings, grid rods extending transversely ofthe conveyer and having their ends mounted in aligned sockets in eachopposed pair of plates, tie rods extending transversely through alignedopenings in each opposed pair of plates, means for rigidly securing thetie rods to the plates, and shafts extending through the openings in thealigned bosses for connecting the adjacent ends of the plates together,said shafts having rollers thereon for supporting the conveyer, saidrods and shafts constituting a slatted bottom for the conveyer and beingcorrectly spaced to support the briquettes so as to prevent the latterfrom falling through the bottom and also being disposed to provide amaximum amount of open spaces in the bottom eifectively to cool thebriquettes carried on the conveyer.

3. A continuous sectional cooling conveyer for briquettes including aseries of longitudinally disposed guard plates constituting the sides ofthe conveyer, each plate having a smooth inner surface and provided atits inner side with a longitudinally extending offset portion, saidoffset portion being provided intermediate its ends with inwardlydisposed spaced sockets, one end of the offset portion terminating in atransversely disposed boss and the other end provided with a laterallyoifset boss arranged to overlap the boss on the adjacent plate when theparts of the conveyer are set up, the overlapped bosses havingregistering openings, grid rods extending transversely of the conveyerand having their inner ends mounted in aligned sockets in each opposedpair of plates, shafts extending through the openings in the align-edbosses for connecting the adjacent ends of the plates together, saidshafts having rollers thereon for supporting the conveyer, said rods andshafts constituting a slatted bottom for the conveyer and beingcorrectly spaced to support the briquettes so as to prevent the latterfrom falling through the bottom, said rods and shafts also beingdisposed to provide a maximum amount of open spaces in the bottomeifectively to cool the briquettes carried by the conveyer, spacedsprocket wheels engaging the conveyer, and driving means connected toone of the sprocket wheels for moving the conveyer, said rods and shaftsbeing disposed in substantially longitudinal alignment so that theconveyer passes over the sprocket wheels without increasing the width ofthe openings between the rods and thus precludes the briquettes on theconveyer from falling therethrough.

4. A continuous sectional cooling conveyer for briquettes including aseries of longitudinally disposed guard plates constituting the sides ofthe conveyer, each plate having a smooth inner surface and provided atits inner side with a longitudinally extending enlarged offset portion,said offset portion being provided intermediate its ends with inwardlydisposed spaced sockets and through openings, one of the offset portionsterminating in a transversely disposed boss and the other end providedwith a laterally offset boss arranged to overlap the boss on theadjacent plate when the parts of the conveyer are set up, the overlappedbosses having registering openings, grid rods extending transversely ofthe conveyer and having their ends loosely mounted in aligned sockets ineach opposed pair of plates, tie rods extending transversely through thealigned openings in each opposed pair of plates, means for rigidlysecuring the tie rods to the plates, shafts extending through theopenings in the aligned bosses and having rollers thereon for supportingthe conveyer, spaced sprocket Wheels engaging the conveyer, and drivingmeans connected to one of the sprocket wheels for moving the conveyer,said rods and shafts being disposed in substantially longitudinalalignment so that the conveyer passes over the sprocket wheels Withoutincreasing the width of the openings between the rods and thus precludesthe briquettes on the conveyer from falling therethrough.

5. A continuous sectional cooling conveyer for briquet-.tes including aseries of longitudinally disposed guard plates constituting the sides ofthe .conveyer, each plate having a smooth inner surface and provided atits inner side with a longitudinally extending enlarged offset portion,said offset portion being provided intermediate its ends with inwardlydisposed spaced sockets and through openings, one of the offset portionsterminating in a transversely disposed boss and the other end providedwith a laterally offset boss arranged to overlap the boss on theadjacent plate when the parts of the conveyer are set up, the overlappedbosses having registering openings, grid rods extending transversely ofthe conveyer and having their ends mounted in aligned sockets in eachopposed pair of plates, tie rods extending transversely through alignedopenings in each opposed pair of plates, means for rigidly securing thetie rods to the plates, shafts extending through the openings in thealigned bosses for connecting the adjacent ends of the plates together,said shafts having rollers thereon for supporting the conveyer, saidrods and shafts constituting a slatted bottom for the conveyer and beingcorrectly spaced to support the briquettes soas to prevent the latterfrom falling falling through the bottom and also being disposed toprovide a maximum amount of open spaces in the bottom effectively tocool the briquettes carried on the conveyer, and longitudinally disposedmeans connected to the shafts and the rods between each pair of opposedplates for rigidifying the conveyer,

GUSTAV KOMAREK.

